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The Light User Syndrome
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Original UK release
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First released 10 June 1996 on Jet Records LP: JETLP1012; cassette: JETMC1012; and CD: JETCD1012
01. D.I.Y. Meat
(Smith, ME/Smith, B)
2:37
The minute I get out of my tent,
My garden is covered with cement.
The minute I went,
And Radio One blasting outside.
Asterisk.
Twixt light and dark
He said I'm a handyman.
He was a handyman.
Hewas a handyman.
He was handyman.
I said what you doing round that grave?
Said I'm a handyman
I saw you chatting to my wife
Between the light and door.
It was a handyman
And the minute I got outta my tent....
Go out.
Ha ha.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha....
They have cheese.
Not me.
It was a handy a-handy a-handy man
Conditions not good job
You try and try to get under
Just bang around
Just bang around .
Ha ha ha ha.
And it does not cut me down.
And Sunday nights don't get out anymore
02. Das Vulture Ans Ein Nutter-Wain
(Smith, ME/Hanley, S)
3:00
Das Vulture Ans Das Nutter-Wain
Das Vulture Ans Das Nutter-Wain
La la la la la la
Das Vulture Ans Das Nutter Ein Wain
Vulture Ans Das Nutter-Wain
Vulture
Ans Das Nutter Ein Wain
Jester
Jester
Parson's prayer
So few and far between
Down and out
Carry on clown
Paint your face
And close your mouth
Vulture
Ein das Nutter
La la la la la la
Vulture
Das Vulture Ans Das Ans
Ein Nutter Wain
Vulture Ans Ein Nutter-Wain
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
Carry on clown
Ans Vulture Ans Ein Nutter-Wain
03. He Pep!
(Smith, ME/Wolstencroft)
3:07
I don't want to go back anymore.
I don't wanna go to work in the rain.
No more toast grilled on the heater.
No more of that A&R girl.
And having to meet her.
My personage
It writes everywhere [in race anywhere]
You Pep!
And I stick my Parker pen under my ear
Beneath my own carefully scruffed hair.
What I wear
Have to check out of Moody's lair
Hang on
Hang on, leaves your bad house with me
Into the room of the bass player.
Why won't you go up stairs?
You Pep!
Don't think he's don't get in slippy
North-old-hamptonshire.
I believe there's a new drug out.
It's called speed I wrote a song about it
Conceptually a la Bowie.
But it's been lost in the bowels of the record company
By our manager
So instead our new 45 is 'Girlies'
[?] on, brown tonguer
Yours, brattingly.
Everyone says "please"
Anyway is a waste of life
Wait to say it in Lancashire
You Pep!
You had the best summer
And now it's wearing off.
No more excuses
For your traitorism.
04. Hostile
(Smith, ME/Smith, B)
3:59
Nobody ever gave him a good turn. What do you expect? He was always let down.
They never wanted to let his action down. But also they wanted it sublime
Sheffieldism and equality equally. He was always in the middle for him.
On the fields. Brooklands. They said tone it down. We all understood him.
But he is hostile.
We are the elite gangsters of the damned, criminals of the damp. You must
come with us, and hunt down - the hostile.
For years they have believed we were inspired by the Holy Spirit and the
work of God. They still recognize that many prominent N.C. members are wonderful
people. They're warm, intelligent, but terribly misguided.
Slowly, painfully, he become disillusioned. They call us "shadowy." Anti-hostile.
They demand to know, with a touching, naive faith of the individual. Hostile.
Many times, brothers, have they tried to discredit out gangsterism. And now
we're old, the elite of the damned.
Anti-hostile.
05. Stay Away (Old White Train)
(Paycheck)
2:49
When I was a young man, yeah, I really knew it all
When I was young, why I just, yeah, really knew it all
So if you'll listen to an old dog bark
You might see that hole before you fall
I'm gonna lay something on you, then I'm gonna move on out
Gonna lay something on you, moving on out
You can take it or leave it, I know what I'm talking about
I've damn felt the pain
I'm beaten down by the pouring rain
But it hard to get off the old white train
Yeah, the old white train costs a lot to ride
Your heart, your soul and even your pride
Damn sure forever, it'll freeze your brain
Yeah, take a little advice, stay away from the old white train
Cocaine
I've felt the pain
I'm beaten down by the pouring rain
But it hard to get off the old white train
Yeah, the old white train costs a lot to ride
Your heart, your soul and even your pride
Damn sure forever, it'll freeze your brain
So take a little advice, stay away from the old white train
Take a little advice, stay away from the old white train
Cocaine
06. Spinetrak
(Smith, ME/Smith, B)
3:08
May the sideshow begin
Spinetrak
Young lad from Escom
Is a schizophrenic
He also thinks he's a man
His other half is his side-kick.
The man from Escom
Is a schizophrene
Other half is called Chick, his sidekick
You are my spinetrak, my spinetrak, my spinetrak
You are my spinetrak, my spinetrak, my spinetrak
You are my spinetrak, my spinetrak, my spinetrak
Spinetrak
Spine clicked and came out of it's box
May the sideshow begin
One: endless pursuit of women
And desire to impress them
You are my spinetrak, my spinetrak, my spinetrak
You are my spinetrak, my spinetrak, my spinetrak (On news programmes)
You are my spinetrak, my spinetrak, my spinetrak
On news programs
Spinetrak
And application pages for womens' jobs
Who's other side too
Looked rather big
Sideshow begin
You are my spinetrak, my spinetrak, my spinetrak
You are my spinetrak, my spinetrak, my spinetrak
You are my spinetrak, my spinetrak, my spinetrak
07. Interlude/Chilinism
(Smith, ME/Burns/Hanley, S/Wolstencroft/Nagle/Bennett)
7:05
The chiselers
He is desperate
Passed on
The 9th richest, bar none
The chiselers
He is short
They are short
The Stones are short
Mr Grumbly, with a white Ferrari, is short
Giving you hard looks
In the long long Yeltsin days
Get in touch
They're skint
Relocation due for the chiseler
Dry hump, in the hip club
Chiseler, chiseler, you're a godamn chiseler
Internet
The chiselers
He is desperate
They are desparate
One mad, bad, one mad
The Arab in
Chiselers
He is short
Pink Floyd are short
(Internet)
9th richest country in the world bar none
Dry hump, in the hip club
Basically
Chiselers
Chiselers
Chiselers
Dry hump, in the hip club
I try to think like you do
Act like you do
Try to dress like you do
I thought I was you
Now you turn around
Point your finger at me
Say I'm Chilinist
You think I'm the pits
The chiselers are here
And when they appear
You know I'll disappear again
The chisellers are there
And everywhere
And now I'll never come here again
I think like you do
I act like you do
I thought I was you
I need no persuasion
You know what to say
The process is clear
You are not happy
I try to think like you do
Dress like you do
I thought I was you
Chiseler!
08. Powder Keg
(Smith, ME/Burns)
3:16
You better listen
It's thin
It's a powder keg.
You better listen to me.
Take me home.
I don't want to go.
Take me back to the safe.
You know better.
You better listen.
It's a powder keg.
You better listen.
Retreat from Enniskillen
I had a dream
Bruised it coloured
It going to hurt me
Manchester city center
Caroline
Take me back
I can't get the bus.
Do you know what they say.
You better listen
he's a powder keg.
You better listen to me
Sickening in its infection.
His radioactive radio-head drips with powder
His aura, round halo, thin.
Listen to me.
Thin.
Retreat.
Head loaded people avoid bad luck.
Hives away.
Confined to the university end of town.
Powder, retreat from Enniskillen
I don't want to go.
Take me home
Take me back to town, Mark.
Don't you know, the town is a powder keg
09. Oleano
(Smith, ME)
3:08
I'm just trying to uncover the truth
Where's the Captain?
It's over, Cap'
Consider the helm, the helm.
The captain is in his bunk berth,
asleep as he should be.
Just trying to uncover the truth
It's over for you except scream.
"Aaaaah!" [scream]
Ah/ah ah/ah [coughing]
We're just trying to uncover the truth
Oleano
Where's the captain?
Captain asleep in his bunk
Continue
Esconced in snow
The hell of....
This was the hell of Oleano HMS
Ensconced in snow
Ensconced
And still she is ensconced in snow
10. Cheetham Hill
(Smith, ME/Wolstencroft/Bennett)
3:31
See the fleet of cruising cars
go past the stations and the bars.
Never stop to get out
in case they choose to cruise about.
Well, I tell you, that boy,
he stopped up at the station.
He must be on a mission of passion
Couldn't make out whether he was from
Salford or...ah... Manchester.
And this London visitor had this to say:
"Cheater"
Cheetham Hill.
Only way you stop is for passion at the station.
Why you cruising? To be unfaithful.
You want to settle up, you want to settle down.
And some man really hurt you.
He isn't around in Cheetham.
You cheated.
Well I tell you,
That boy, he stopped up at the station.
He must be on a mission of passion.
Cheater.
Cheetham Hill.
Where you going, boy? Are you cheatin'?
Is that why you come from Cheetham Hill?
When you stopped up at the station
was it an excuse to get away from your wife for the evening?
Couldn't make out whether he was from
(Max or Mary)
Salford or...ah...Manchester
(Chutney ferret)
And this London visitor had this to say
"Cheater"
Cheetham
(Cheetham Hill)
(customised
intentional
there's no need to go berserk
you don't scratch my nice blue Merc
I won't need to go berserk
if you don't scratch my nice green Merc)
And the boy stopped up
At the passion wagon
We couldn't make out where he was from
Salford or Manchester
And this London visitor had this to say
11. The Coliseum
(Smith, ME/Spencer)
8:08
Coliseum. The Coliseum.
Look out, burn
You ought to know this by now.
You with the empty crane over....
They're the gatekeepers and the sentinels.
Their jokes are hum-drum.
The Coliseum x 4
Brown brass leading up to ionic columns.
Trust them.
Sometimes that is not enough
In the vast cavernous emptiness
That is the world of the callow.
But they stood outside at bottom
The Coliseum x 3
Trust them.
But sometimes that's not enough
In the vast cavernous....
The Coliseum x 2
And you have to have a good condition
To get into the Coliseum.
And the jingle jangle of this city
Makes you hunger and down.
You have to have a good condition
to get into the coliseum.
The Coliseum x 4
Brown brass leading up to ionic columns,
But sometimes that's not enough....
Their jokes are hum-drum.
About 7:30 to 8:00,
tiredness sets in.
You want to take a little break
and get out of home.
The Coliseum x 4
Brown brass....
You've got to have a good condition
to get into....
These people, they will never ever learn.
They are not fit to walk through
the ionic columns of
the Coliseum.
The Coliseum.
You've got to have a good condition
to get into the Coliseum.
12. Last Chance To Turn Around
(Milrose/Bruno/Elgin)
3:24
You gotta keep those wheels of mine
Rolling and burning down the highway
Last night that girl of mine left me yearning
Best start learning to see things my way
Hit me for the very first time
And we're gonna turn around
I'm leaving her love behind
And getting out of town
I won't back down
I won't turn round
From the last exit to Brooklyn
Last chance to turn around
Last exit to Brooklyn
Gonna keep these old wheels going covering ground
Last night that girl of mine left me trying
And lying she deceived me
[I'll alter] all these tears with the wipers
You'd better believe me
She said she was mine alone
But I know otherwise
I thought she was mine alone
I saw her with a guy
I want her back
It's all in the past
That's why l'm last exit to Brooklyn
Last chance to turn around
Last exit to Brooklyn
Last chance to turn around
She said she was mine alone
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da
I saw her with a guy
And that's the reason why
I'll pass the last
The last exit to Brooklyn
The last chance to turn around
13. The Ballard Of J. Drummer
(Smith, ME)
3:21
In year one-nine-nine-six-o-one (the last numeral was upside down), Johnny
Drummer came to the outskirts of town.
People came out and shouted at him. Some people came out and shouted at him,
"Say, show us your sticks." Then they went back to their computer tricks.
He'd hit a town with no life, to begin, where they forgot the facts. Two
sticks make up a cross. Why is it always this way? Why do they always have
to say, "Hey, Johnny, get out of the way."
He looked in the mirror and said, "I am not him." He stood outside a bar
and raised the nerve to go in. The window hosted at least 45 men. Wondered
which one was waiting for him. And the boy at the machine meant him no harm,
but to him the boy was staring again at him. The rhythm over in his head
again.
Men, boys and girls! Don't ever follow the path of being hard and tough when
your heart is soft
14. Oxymoron
(Smith, ME/Nagle)
4:02
check that out
you pep!
Mr. Moody's scruffed up
you pep!
oh yeah
Mr. Moody's scruffed up
scruffed up
you pep!
you pep!
oh yeah
you pep!
check that out
scruffed up
you pep!
carefully
you pep!
carefully
you pep!
Mr. Moody's scruffed up
you pep!
oh yeah
you pep!
you pep!
you pep!
you pep!
carefully
carefully
you pep!
check that out
Mr. Moody's scruffed up
you pep!
oh yeah
you pep!
carefully
you pep!
oh yeah
you pep!
oh yeah
carefully
you pep!
you pep!
carefully
you pep!
scruffed up
you pep!
oh yeah
you pep!
check that out
you pep!
you pep!
check that out
Mr. Moody's lair
Mr. Moody's lair
Mr. moody's lair
oh yeah
Mr. moody's lair
you pep!
you pep!
Mr. moody's lair
you pep!
Mr. moody's lair
scruffed up
you pep!
you pep!
you pep!
15. Secession Man
(Smith, ME/Burns/Bennett)
4:49
You're the one that always runs the show
And happiness comes easy when its bright and breezy
Sudden inspiration to a session man's sensation
I've got to get up early this morning
Gotta get my early warning
How will she ever know?
You're the one that always runs the show
You're the one that always runs the show
You're the one that always runs the show
Inside. Outside. Turn around.
I'm a session man
I'm a session man
And, just how you knew
I'm falling through a grate
But happiness comes easy
In your company
I dont need to mince my words
I dont need to mince my....
You're the one who always runs the show
You're the one who always runs the show
You're the one who always runs the show
That's where the session ends
You're the one who always runs the show
'Cos you're the one who always runs the show
I'm a session man
I'm not broken like the other man
They look just the same
I'm a session man
I'm a session man
Inside. Outside. Turn around
I got to get up early this morning
Gotta go and get my early dawn in.
Inside. Outside. Turn around
Just how you knew I was falling through
I knew you were not insane
Your chains were much like mine
I'm a session man
Like the other man
Other man/men
Other man
Inside. Outside. Turn around
Other man
Other man
Other man
Other man
You're the one who always runs the show
Other man
Other man
Inside. Outside. Turn around
Other man
Other man
Inside. Outside. Turn around
Other man
Inside. Outside. Turn around
Other man
Other man
Other man
Inside. Outside. Turn around
Other man
Other man
Inside. Outside. Turn around
Other man
Other man
That's where the session ends
(LP and cassette side 1: tracks 1-8; side 2: tracks 9-15)
(CD: tracks 1-15)
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Credits
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Mark E Smith - vocals, tapes
Brix Smith - guitar, vocals
Steve Hanley - bass
Julia Nagle - keyboards, guitar
Simon Wolstencroft - drums, programming
Karl Burns - drums, guitar, vocals
With:
Lucy Rimmer - vocals
Mike Bennett - vocals
Produced by: Mike Bennett and Mark E Smith
Engineered by: Warren Bassett
Cover photograph: Peter Cronin
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Recording info & notes
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Recorded at The Dairy, London early 1996.
Title oddities: the record label incorrectly lists songs Oliana, The Ballad Of J Drummer, and Sessession Man.
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1999 Receiver reissue
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Reissued on 8 February 1999 on Receiver Records CD: RRCD264 with the original cover and tracklisting plus bonus tracks:
16. The Chiselers (Smith/Burns/Hanley, S/Wolstencroft/Nagle) 3:14
17. Chilinist (Smith/Burns/Hanley, S/Wolstencroft/Nagle/Bennett) 6:15
Tracks 16-17 come from the single The Chiselers.
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2002 Sanctuary reissue
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Reissued on 16 September 2002 on Castle, a label of Sanctuary Records Group, CD: CMRCD570 with the same tracklisting as the 1999 Receiver reissue.
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